Discontinuedup for adoption: Strings of his heart
by Pirate Soul
Summary: Naruto has finally taken into account the abuse Konoha has enslaved him to for most of his life. He chooses to leave Konoha, bent on causing it's destruction, to get revenge for what he feels Konohagakure has stolen from him... No real pairing.
1. A Night of Change

This story takes place after about Chapter 330 in the manga. If you haven't read that far, then I suggest either leaving now, Or, going to unrivaled.info to read up to that point.

This story is about Naruto finally taking the facts of how Konoha as abused im into focus.

It begins on the night he leaves Konoha.

**Prolog:**

_Hatake Kakashi sighed. _

_"Well, when you invited me here, I certainly wasn't expecting to hear this." He stated, his voice monotone, drawling. He was looking at a figure standing on the balcony railing, whose front was turned towards the darkened woods around Konohagakure. They were wearing a full black body suit, that cut off at the calf and mid arm. The figure's hair was also covered, by means of a zenkin, or black Konoha forehead protector in the style of a bandana._

_"Yeah, I'm sure." The figure responded, his voice certain. Much to Kakashi's dislike, there was no regret in the voice. None at all._

_"You do realize that there'll be no turning back? You certain you won't regret it?" Kakashi fell silent, knowing that would hit a sore spot._

_"I know… I wouldn't leave if I didn't feel it necessary…" The figure dropped his voice, as if suddenly in deep considerate thought._

_"Necessary?"_

_"I wanted to be Hokage. A shinobi can't be Hokage if he hates his village." The figure turned to face Kakashi. The figures's blond hair tips could be seen from under the zenkin, along with his shocking blue eyes._

_The rest of his face was covered by a snug fitting face mask, much like Kakashi's, only pure black._

_"Naruto… What exactly do you mean by that?" Kakashi stated, his a-matter-of-fact drawl edged with alarm._

_In response, the person, Uzumaki Naruto, began to laugh.._

_"Maybe this'll clear things up." He pulled his zenkin off forcefully then ripped the steel plate off with abnormal ease. He then held if over the balcony's edge. "I hate Konoha. I hate it's inhabitants. I want to be the one to wipe it off the face of the earth." He released the metal plate to fall into the dark ally's abyss._

_"… Your defective. You'll be an outsider. You'll destroy the very bonds you worked so hard to create all these years." Kakashi shook his head, obviously not believing that was how Naruto truly felt. His tone had dropped the sarcasm, and was now solemn._

_Naruto made no attempt to respond to this allegation, as he turned back to look over the night shrouded Konoha. His silence was like that of an eternity._

_"Why should I care what they think." He finally stated… "I have more important things to worry about now. Acceptance isn't one of them."_

_"Then go." Kakashi didn't even take a moment to think It over. He had a strong distaste suddenly for Naruto. "Konoha doesn't need traitorous Shinobi."_

_"Kakashi, you are looking at the world in black and white. That's what makes you a fool." Naruto's voice was spiteful. His tone was enough to hint towards Kakashi how he had changed._

_"So, guess this is 'the last time we will speak to each other as student and teacher…" Naruto's voice had calmed again, back to it's usual tone._

_"… Yes."_

_"..."_

_"… ….Good bye Naruto."_

_Kakashi frowned to himself as he watched Naruto disappear in a puff of silver smoke. He had drastically changed. Kakashi could only speculate at what had brought it about… Could it have been the mistreatment he had received from others? The lack of a parents caring? What? None of that had ever seemed to bother Naruto... Up until now…_

_Sighing in exasperation, Kakashi decided he would speak with the Hokage about it as soon as he possibly could. Perhaps she could shed some light on the ordeal, Naruto had been going to her office a lot of late._

_He put one foot on the railing, and propelled himself upward into the air, landing with a back flip onto the roof._

_Kakashi cared about his team, they were in a way, his children, his, protégé's. It hurt him to see another one leave in the manner Uchiha Sasuke had, on a expedition for power._

_Of course, in the beginning all had been well… Team 7 had been strong, a few clashing personalities here and there, but it had still been a fine beginning._

_Maybe, if luck was with them, it would end in the same manner as it had begun…_


	2. The Discovery

**Chapter One: Discovery**

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From a distant rooftop, Naruto watched Kakashi leave their meeting place, shifting his legs so that they were crossed.

He made mental note of the slump in Kakashi's movements. He couldn't help but wonder if Kakashi maybe did care a bit… Naruto pushed the thought out of his mind lazily.

Now was not the time to think about that.

After his former sensei had disappeared into the darkness, Naruto's eyes shifted to the ANBU patrolling the streets. Ever since the Kazekage Gaara's kidnapping by the Akatsuki, the security had gotten thicker for Naruto's protection.

Well, not really. The protection was more for Konoha's inhabitants, considering Akatsuki didn't care who they killed as long as they had their Jinchuuriki. They had learned that much from Asuma's death.

The whole damn situation was enough to make him sick.

"What are you doing out here so late, Naruto?"

Naruto glanced out of the corner of his eye, in annoyance at the interruption of his thoughts.

Well, at least this saved him the trouble of going to her.

"What are you doing out so late, Tsunade? Or would you rather be called Godaime?" He asked calmly, his voice soft, only just audible. It irritated the hell out of her.

"Don't try and pull that shit with me. " She snapped, hands on her hips, her breast jutting forward from her posture. Some habits must be hard to break.

"I was just enjoying the night air, nothing more, nothing less." Naruto began to fiddle with his fingers. Unseen by the Hokage, thin, chakra coated wires were wrapping themselves in the air around her, directed solely by Naruto's fingers.

Having wind as your Chakra element did come in handy from time to time.

"I heard what you said to Kakashi." She stated bluntly.

"… I never knew eavesdropping was your specialty..." His fiddling became more rapid, as he wove the thin strings around her limbs.

"Such a shame, Naruto, if you were being serious. A perfectly good Shinobi, choosing the path of a nukenin…"

"That is not all I have decided." Naruto stopped fiddling, smirking in the Kyuubi's fashion.

He turned to look at Tsunade, his features rapidly changing.

His teeth grew into long and sharp fangs that cut his face mask in thin tatters, his eyes turning blood red.

"So you no longer have control of yourself…" He could hear the alarm in her voice. He could smell the fear emitting off her body.

"Oh, Tsunade, you are very much mistaken. I have perfect control over myself now. I can control all nine of the tails, with out very much physical harm to myself…" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, the strings around Tsunade's body tightening just enough to prevent her from moving, and to create thin cuts into her skin and clothing.

"Naruto…" Was all she said, her eyes wide. She realized very well that any major movement she made could result in a loss of a limb, or her life.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of killing you. Just a small act of incapacitation." He moved his pinkie slightly, but stopped, looking down at the Kunai pressed against his throat. It glinted mischievously in the moonlight. He also felt the slack in his wires.

"You still have a lot to learn." Tsunade stood at his side, holding the kunai. Most of her clothing was cut off cleanly, and she was still covered in cuts. She was hardly a threat to him in his current state, but… He couldn't kill her, that would destroy everything.

"Then it is time, to take my leave. I do not fancy loosing you, Tsunade."

"Loosing me? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Something that is currently beyond your comprehension." Naruto broke the wires that were now tangled behind him, snarling.

Damn. Her escape meant that he would have to work harder on his new jutsu. It was _still_ imperfect.

Not only that, but he had lost his chance of getting what he needed from her.

He'd probably never get so golden a chance again.

Damn.

'Brilliant kid. Brilliant. I applaud your failure. That really ruined a good chunk of the plan, don't you think?.' The Kyuubi's voice ran through his head with a sneer. Naruto bristled, his anger growing.

He had to get out of this situation before he really did ruin everything by loosing control.

"Beyond my comprehension-?" Tsunade began, pressing the Kunai deeper into 'Naruto's' throat. Rather than drawing blood, her hand shot through his throat, mud covering her hand and the ground.

Mud clone.

Tsunade stood there a moment, gathering her thoughts, knowing Naruto was gone for good this time.

She'd have to call a team to…

'_To do what? Kill him? Bring him back alive? What exactly?_''

"I don't know…" She said aloud, speaking to that voice of reason in the back of her head that she ignored most of the time.

'_Better figure it out quick, before he gets too far out of dodge_.'

Tsunade prepared to propel herself off the building, when something in the pile of mud caught her eye. She went over to it, falling to her knees to get a better look.

The necklace she had given him. Her grandfather, The nidaime's necklace.

He wouldn't have left that unless he had been completely serious about...

"We have to make it so he gets brought back… It will have to be dead or alive… Immediately." Tsunade snatched the necklace as she jump up, running to the side of the building, leaping off and landing in front of the nearest ANBU patrol.

He looked at her though his ANBU dog shaped mask, stopping in his stride.

"Tsunade sama…" She could tell from his voice he wanted to ask her why she was half naked and bleeding.

"No time for that! I want you to wake up Asuma's, Kakashi's, and Gai's teams! Now! I want them in my office before five this morning!"

"Yes, Tsunade sama." The ANBU member nodded, running past her to complete his mission.

If Naruto weren't the gate that kept the Kyuubi from being free… Then his capture wouldn't be so crucial…

'You mean his death. There's no way in hell they can capture him. You know that. Hell, the probably can't kill him.'

Tsunade pushed this thought out of her mind, darting for her office.

She had to get cleaned up and the paper work done, the teams would be here in less than an hour…

In less than an hour, she'd have to sign Uzumaki Naruto's death warrant…. Could she do that?

Yes. She could. She had to. To protect Konohagakure.

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A/N: Okay, six things:

One: A Nukenin is a missing ninja

Two: Sorry for the bad writing, I just wanted to put something out for Thanksgiving, cause I like to give myself deadlines and self rules- If I can't get this chapter posted before Thanksgiving day, then I must do five hundred pushups with out dying! I never made myself a self rule for quality.

Three: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Four: Please comment, and tell me what you think should happen! You never know when I'll take your idea into account and run with it. Comments are very good. make sure you comment. And tell your friends too. Telling friends is good... Yes, my plugs are shameless!

Five: I hope to have the next chapter up before December 1st, along with another Naruto story I'm working on, this time about his Roots. One with death and dispair. Don't worry, I'll keep doing this one as well. I just can't stand not having more than two things going- Sort of like reading and watching TV at the same time. Can't stand _not _doing them together.

Six: Naruto will be very evil. Very very evil. Kukukukukukukukuku... Limbs will fly! Blood will pour! My desire for angest and dispair will be quenched!

A/N End


	3. The Scarecrow's Plan

Chapter 2: The Scarecrow's Plan

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Naara Shikamaru lead the large group of Chuunin and Jounin through the forest, following Uzumaki Naruto's trail.

He had left an obvious one, as if he wanted them to follow him.

Shikamaru let his mind wonder back to what Tsunade had said…

_"Your mission is to bring Uzumaki Naruto back, dead or alive. For you own safety, Preferably dead…" _

Her voice had become grave after that harsh statement.

"I'm choosing you all, his friends, because I hope in the hope that maybe you can make him change his mind. But if you can't, I also have the faith in you that you will finish the job. That you will kill him, if it is necessary."

"I don't believe what Tsunade said."

Shikamaru glanced back over his shoulder, in shock. It was Neji who had spoke. He then reached into his breast pocket to pull out his carton of cigarettes, putting one into his mouth and lighting it from a booklet of matches. He took a deep breath of nicotine, which instantly calmed him. Like a tranquilizer.

"Naruto wouldn't do something like that. He wouldn't say something like that either. He loves Konoha! He wants to be Hokage!" It was Rock Lee who spoke next, in total agreement with Neji.

"Wanted, Lee. Put it into past tense." Kakashi shrugged, "People change. Ideas change."

"I think this may be just a big misunderstanding…" It was Kiba who spoke next, on Naruto's behalf.

Kakashi had asked for him to replace Naruto in his cell. Shikamaru could only speculate that it was because of Akamaru, and his perception of chakra, power, and smell.

"Kiba, there is such a thing as taking naiveté too far." Was the next strike against Naruto, by Sakura. "Same goes for Neji and Lee."

"You too, Sakura- Chan?!" It was a cry of exasperated shock from Rock Lee.

"Stop!" Kiba suddenly, cried out, halting abruptly. The others only just did so, then looked at him.

He was looking back the way they had come, his black jacket glinting in the moonlight..

"What is it?"

"I smell a lot of blood, and incense. And Akamaru won't come any closer than this… He's terrified…"

Shikamaru looked to where Kiba was looking. There was large, white Akamaru, about as big as a deer, trembling and whimpering pathetically on the branch in… fear.

"I can hardly make out what he's saying… Akamaru, calm down!" Kiba back tracked to Akamaru's side, petting him quickly.

Akamaru nuzzled him, his whimpers becoming low growling barks.

"…" Kiba looked at them. "He won't come any closer because the chakra he smells… Naruto's Chakra… Has only one intent." He took shook his head as if he couldn't believe it. "The chakra emitting off him is one full of blood lust. Like a hunger. And it's strong. Really strong... And he smells death. A lot of it. Close by…"

He turned back to Akamaru, and whispered something into his ear. The dog nodded, the trembling stopping… For the most part.

"He's waiting for us."

Shikamaru looked at Kiba, his statements floating in the air. Now that Kiba had mentioned it, he could faintly smell blood, and feel the slight sensation of fear that Akamaru was suffering from.

Then, it hit him.

Out in the middle of these woods, what would be a place close by for Naruto to commit a mass murder? If that was indeed, what had happened?

Oh…

"What is it Shikamaru?" Chouji had read his face easily, just as he always had been able to.

"Gai sensei, Kakashi sensei… Isn't the Konoha Buddhist temple near here?" He looked at the two Jounin, putting them on the spot.

"Yes, there is…" Gai looked at him, his eyes wide. "You don't honestly think that someone like Naruto…" He stopped.

As if to answer his question, Akamaru started to growl in the woods to their left. A bloodied monk stumbled through the woods, his robes hanging from his body in shreds. His eyes were wide, dried blood making trails from his mouth and down his front.

Gai stepped in front of the three girls, Ten Ten, Ino, and Sakura as if to protect them.

"He… Help us… The Kyuubi is back… His host…" the monk stopped, then looked at them as if he had seen them for the first time.

"… His host… The temple..." He tried to take another step towards them, but fell to pieces before he could.

Literally. His head fell off, his arms and legs following. No blood sprayed, it seemed as if his body were empty off it.

Ino screamed, covering her mouth in horror at the dececrated mon. She then covered her eyes, turning away from the sight. She hadn't been able to stand the sight of a dead body since she'd seen Asuma's...

"He wants us to find him…" Shikamaru slowly, calmly approached the body parts, reaching down behind them. He gently pulled up the thin wires which were attached to it. Exactly like the ones he had attacked Tsunade with.

He held it up to where everyone could see. "This body has been dead for a while." He added, blowing out some pearly smoke, then running one finger over one of the cleanly cut wounds in an arm. The blood he had on his fingers was gel like, or, as doctors like to say,

"It's coagulated. He was controlling it like a puppet. Just to lure us in."

"Then we should ignore the bait, right?" Ino stepped around Gai, and up to Shikamaru's side. "Right?"

"Shikamaru, Sei, Neji, Sakura, and Chouji. Come with me." Kakashi reached into his back pouch, producing six radios, which where neatly tied together. He looked at Gai expectantly, whom reached into his own pocket and pulled out six as well.

They passed them out accordingly, ending up with two left over.

Shikamaru found it amazing that everyone, save for Ino, had remained rather calm at the sight of a dead body walking around as a puppet for their formor team mate, the falling to pieces in front of them. Smirking slightly, Shikamaru pulled the cigarette butt out of his mouth, stuffing it into the ground, quickly replacing it with another.

"Gai, you stay with everyone else as back up. We're going to go exactly how Naruto wants us to. See how that turns out." He placed the radio on his ear, and wrapped the strap around his neck.

"What? Kakashi, have you lost it?" Gai looked at him.

"Naruto is not in the mood for the games Ninja play. It might set him off on us. So we should do what he wants and expects."

"What do you mean, 'what he wants and expects'?"

"I mean, he knows me well enough to expect some of our party to come through the front door, and he expects some of our party to stay behind as backup. Seeing as he's expecting it, it should keep us alive a little longer."

"That's a happy thought." Sei spoke as if this entire situation bored him.

Oh, what Shikamaru would have given to come up with a retort for that. But it had been the exact same thing he was thinking.

"So, what's the full plan, sensei?" Sakura broke from the other half of the group to Kakashi's and Shikamaru's side, Chouji, Neji, and Sei following.

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A/N: YOSH! Up before December 1st, with chapter 3 well underway! It may even be up by tomorrow! XD Erm, well, seeing as it's 12:30 pm, Later today! So please don't get mad Jaz the wolf...

Hope you all liked it. And just in case I didn't clear this up:

-

Gai's Team: Neji, Ten Ten, Rock Lee

Kakashi's Team: Sakura, Sei, Kiba/Akamaru

Asuma's Team: Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji

-

Oh, and the reason why I named this the Scarecrow's plan, is because Hatake Kakashi means a field of scarecrows...

Erm, I'm sorry, but if you do not know who Sei is, and why Asuma's not around, and why Shikamaru's smoking... Then why haven't you read up to chapter 330 in the manga? That's like, reading LOTRs Return of the King, before you read the Hobbit, the Fellowship of the Ring, and the Two Towers! ... Sorta...

I sincerly apologize for Unrivaled.Info being down, but that's not the only place to read translated chapters of Naruto. Just google it, or all the web it.

I'm also sorry if something seems choppy, like the smoking scenes... I'm kinda zoned from the lack of sleep... Hey... Is that a floating CARROT?!

Kidding... Well, no I'm not, I'm pretty sure that's a floating carrot...

A/N End


	4. Kyuubi's Sons

Chapter 3: Kyuubi's Sons

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Naruto looked around at the human body parts littering the prayer room of the temple, covering the floor in blood. It had started out warm between his toes, but by this point in time was cold. Blood tended to be vexing like that.

He then up at the five monks he had left alive.

They were strung up by their legs, high into the air, for his experiments.

Hypothetically, This promoted massive amounts of blood flow to the head, making his Fear Genjutsu easier to administer.

Naruto sighed happily. It was wonderful to be able to continue these experiments once again.

He was recording this theory in a small notebook he had on him, when he heard the Konoha Shinobi attempting to make a stealthy entrance. It was a rather weak attempt, from the sound of things.

'Kyuubi sama…' Naruto looked up from his book to the large, single tailed fox demon at the entrance. It was bowed down, not daring look at him. It was not so foolish as to risk it's life over pride.

"Yes, Jikuro?" He asked stiffly, going back to his writing.

'The team of Shinobi sent to follow you have split up. The group coming for is as follows: Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Neji, Sai, Naara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji. What do you want us to do, Kyuubi-sama?' The fox listed their names in a monotone manner. His lips never once moved, what he had to say was not communicated in such a rudimentary manner.

"A two Jounin and a handful of Chuunin? I'm insulted, Tsunade…" Naruto muttered to himself, before addressing the fox, Jikuro.

"Who are the others? And did they all hear my messenger?"

'Might Gai, Rock Lee, Inuzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, and Ten Ten… And yes.'

"How boring… I suppose Jukiro is with the other group then?" Naruto sighed in exasperation. Tsunade was greatly underestimating him. Or, she was making and attempt to play on the, quote, 'bonds' that his lies had made in Konohagakure.

'Yes.'

"Have him kill them. Tell him to take human form as he does so. If his life looks to be in jeopardy, he's to come back. I don't fancy loosing one of my two sons."  
'Yes...' The fox stood up again, but acted as if he had more to say… He ran his foot through the blood uncertainly.

"What is it, Jikuro?"

'Father, how long until your are truly free of that boy's body?'

Naruto was silent, pausing his writing.

"I am not sure, Jikuro. I know the Akatsuki as the answer to this problem… I will get it in time. Be patient. Tell your brother the same, for I know twins normally think alike…" He went back to his writing and examining the monks in the Genjutsu.

Jikuro merely nodded, turning to leave the temple, his tail swishing elegantly as he disappeared into the darkness.

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A/N: Short.

Sorry. Forgive and forget... Though the next chapter won't be very long either, I don't believe... But it will be up quickly.

A/N End.


	5. Fear Factor

Chapter Four: Fear Factor

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Shikamaru gasped as they entered the room Naruto was supposed to be in.

It was… A grotesque sight.

No one spoke as they stepped into the ankle deep blood.

No one knew what to say exactly. The aroma of death was strong in here. It was enough to make Shikamaru gag.

He quickly covered his mouth, avoiding the cigarette, and stepping over a dead monks arm.

It didn't seem Naruto was here. Well, for a moment at least.

He looked up as Naruto noisily sloshed the blood under his feet, seeming to appearing from no where. He was sloshing through the blood with an air of cheerfulness.

"My, you all look terrified. Don't worry. I'm not going to kill any of you. Yet, at least. No, I intend on making each of you suffer as I have… Believe it." Naruto chuckled at his own pun of 'Believe it', licking his clawed fingers of the human blood. He wasn't in the least bit fazed by the fact they had caught him a horrendous act of homicide.  
Shikamaru glanced again at the gory remains of the monks which had resided in the temple. He heard some one vomiting behind him. Probably Sakura.

Who could blame her? He was near the point of vomiting himself. But he found the nicotine and deep breaths created by the cigarette hanging out of his mouth prevented that.  
Seemed Naruto had left none of the monks alive, nor did he leave any in one piece, save for the five behind him which were suspended in the air by an unseen wire around their ankles', looks of pure horror forever frozen onto their faces.

The monks clothing was for the most part gone, just as Tsunade's had been. He could see every part of their bodies, along with every wound Naruto had inflicted upon them.

Shikamaru, along with the ones with him, now understood why Tsunade wanted Naruto dead.  
Kakashi had been completely right. He had changed.  
Or perhaps he hadn't changed at all; just decided it was time to show his true nature.

"The second one's correct, Shika-kun." Naruto purred, starting to lick the blood off his other hand, locking eyes with the chuunin.  
He froze. How had he known-  
"I can read you all like a scroll. A much needed trait passed down to me by the Kyuubi. Not the last, nor the greatest, I daresay. After all, one can learn a lot over the span of nine hundred years."  
Shikamaru glanced around him.

He was alone.

Kakashi, Sakura, Sai, Neji, and Chouji had gone. The blood and body parts were gone as well.  
He looked forward again. Naruto was walking away, laughing it seemed.  
Now he was alone, and in pitch black darkness.

"Genjutsu!" He snarled, stumbling back. He fell back over something soft, onto his ass.  
The fall knocked him slightly senseless, as he had hit his head on something hard, maybe a wall or a rock…

"Shika…" A raspy voice choked out, sounding as if it could hardly speak. "Shikamaru…" A harsh cough followed his name.  
He felt a stiff hand grab his own. It nearly made his heart stop. He felt chills run down his spine, and the hairs on the back of his neck raise, as he looked down into the bloodless face of his deceased sensei, Sarutobi Asuma.

The man was trying to claw his way of Shikamaru's arm, and in the next instant, they were back where he had died, outside that bounty shop. The two Akatsuki members were there, leering at him. Joking about how he had failed his sensei, how he had let Asuma die.

"NO! I didn't let him die!" Shikamaru ripped his arm from the dead Asuma's grip, crab walking back, his back slamming into some legs.

He looked up into Chouji's face.

"You let him die. How could you do that too us, Shikamaru? We trusted your judgment, and it resulted in our sensei's death." Chouji snarled, his face twisted with rage, and hurt. He reached down to pick Shikamaru up by his vest, then slammed him into the buildings wall. "You should have died instead, Shikamaru." He hissed into his friend's ear, pressing him against the wall harder.

"No, I didn't…" Shikamaru stated weakly, feeling the guilt and pain weigh his limbs down.

"Yes you did." This time it was Ino's voice. Shikamaru struggled to turn his heard against the stone wall. She was standing beside Asuma, who had stopped moving, and was just laying there, blood every where. There was even blood all over her.

He scrapped his bruising face to look down at his own vest which was now covered in blood.

The next moment, he found himself looking up, into the faces of Asuma, Ino, and Chouji. They were all fine, but he could feel his heart rate slowing.

Shikamaru raised his head to look down at his body. It had the same wounds as Asuma had had that day, the very wounds that had killed him.

"All's right now." Ino mouthed, but he could not hear her. The light of day was fading form his vision.

With his last thought, he though, "Yes, it is."

_'KAKASHI SENSEI_!' He fought to open his eyes. What was that screaming? What was wrong with Kakashi sensei? Was he dying too?

Ino, Chouji, and Asuma had disappeared, along with the daylight.

'_NARUTO, STOP! PLEASE_!' The screams echoed through the darkness again.

It took him a moment, but after a time, he realized whose screams those were.

Sakura's…

That's right, this was a Genjutsu.

"No…Damnit…" Shikamaru held his hands together, using his chakra release. The first time it did not work.  
The second, it did.  
When he opened his eyes from the Genjutsu, the world was upside down. Or, rather, he was upside down.  
It took him over a moment to realize Naruto had him strung up this way, exactly as he had the monks. He looked to his side, to see Sakura struggling to get herself out of the strings that bound her ankles, keeping her sky born.

Sai was awake, merely letting himself hang lazily. Neji and Chouji were lost in the Genjutsu still, twisting every which way, trying to escape…

Their worst fears? Yes, that's what that Genjutsu had played on, fears. Shikamaru's fear was that Ino and Chouji blamed him for Asuma's death, and that it was his fault Asuma was dead…

He groaned, insulted he had fallen for the jutsu. He also began to look around for Kakashi… Where the hell was he?

'KAKASHI SENSEI!' Sakura screamed again, making him look forward.

Kakashi seemed to be talking with Naruto some distance away from them. Naruto was hanging over Kakashi, his arm wrapped around one the strings, and his feet on one the dead monk's, laughing at the condition Kakashi was in, taking great pleasure out of removing his limbs.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was in quite the predicament. His right arm was gone, and he was holding it with his other.  
He was also on his knees and wheezing out blood, so things had obviously not gone well up until this point.  
"You're… You're not Naruto we knew… This whole time…" Kakashi fell to his hand, having a large vomiting fit of blood.  
Shikamaru froze. What the hell was Kakashi muttering about? Had the blood loss made him loose it?

Well, either way… Shikamaru crunched up, reaching for a Kunai out of his Kunai holster, He let himself fall back down, his abdomen muscles screaming in pain. It had been awhile since he last did crunches…

He groaned, going up again. He fiddled with the holster lid, it finally popping open.

All his Kunai tumbled out before he could get one. He heard them splash in the blood, each one making him grimace more than the last. Not only was it noisy as hell, but he just lost his easiest route to get out of this… Position.

He counted each one. One… Two… Three…

Shikamaru didn't hear a fourth splash. He strained his neck to look down.

Neji had caught it, with a rather shaky hand. Apparently, his fears had left him worse for wear.

"We have to get Kakashi out of that." Neji snarled. Tears had run down his face from during the Genjutsu. Now he was out for Naruto's head, it seemed.

He crunched up as Shikamaru had, gracefully lengthening the Kunai with his Chakra, cutting the string. Neji landed on his feet, making blood splash up into Shikamaru's face. He then turned to cut Shika's strings as well.

Not quiet as graceful as Neji, he landed on his ass. Again.

This all happened in the span of about thirty seconds.

He leaned forward to retrieve his Kunai, then looking at Naruto, who appeared to be about to finished the job with Kakashi.

Shikamaru snarled, standing up.

He wasn't going to let any one else die on his watch. It would be too much grief.

With a smart flick of his wrist, he threw a Kunai at the string attaching Naruto's pedestal/monk to the ceiling.

The blond looked shocked as he began to descend, leaping off the monk and onto another. His landing barely made the monk's form move, which was rather amazing.

He glared at Shikamaru, his red eyes flashing.

Shika smirked as he heard the sound of the others being released from suspension with Neji's help.

Now they had been given another fighting chance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Erm, the Genjutsu scene is supposed to be choppy, because that's how most Genjutsu are on the sufferer.

I didn't go very far into detail on the surroundings of the bounty hunter building, because I saw no reason to.

Sorry for taking so long with this chapter! Hope you all can forgive me. Sorry for any grammar errors. It's like when they come onto the document, words dissapear, when I know they were there on my microscoft document, so, I'm a little confused on that...

Excuse the chapter name/pun... I couldn't resist ;)

A/N End


	6. Shi ni tai desu

Chapter Five: Shi ni tai desu.

--------------------------------------------

Jukiro watched the group of shinobi irritably.

Where the hell was Jikuro? He, Jukiro, needed to know what father's orders were.

The fox shifted feet, careful to keep his large form hidden in the trees. It was easy to hide from Humans… Even the best of the best were pathetic compared to demons.

It was pathetic that his father let himself be imprisoned by a weak human-

Jukiro shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought. No demon could escape a sealing spell, not even his father, the great Kyuubi.

"Those thoughts are inappropriate, brother."

He looked to the side as Jikuro appeared there, in Human form.

As a human, Jikuro was tall, had a sharp, angled face, with iridescent blue slit eyes. The whiskers on his cheeks gave him the 'fox' look even further. His blond hair was pulled back into high pony tail, letting only two strands crop his face on either side. The black Yukata he wore stood out on his pale skin.

The fox had chosen to look as much like the Kyuubi's carrier as possible, just out of habit.

"Father says to leave none alive, if possible. Take human form, and do not jeopardize your life."

"Jeopardize my life?" Jukiro scoffed, motioning a paw towards the group. "They haven't even realized we're here yet."

His body hunched over, a ripple effect beginning under his skin. Bones began to crack as they repositioned themselves, organs shifted to new areas.. The rust red fur that covered his body began to sink into his skin, disappearing as his form slowly crunched down to his human size.

Within minutes, a young naked man was standing there, looking exactly like the dressed one, only with his hair shorter and spiked.

Jikuro threw him a matching black Yukata almost in disgust. Jukiro slid it on, tying the sash quickly.

"None the less, Father would not have said o take such caution without proper reason." Jikuro shrugged, his eyes resting on each member of the group in turn, evaluating. "I believe your main threats are Gai and Rock Lee..." He handed Jukiro a kusarigama…

Jukiro stroked the blades edge happily, its metal glinting meticulously in the dawns light.

"Bowl cut one and two? Yeah, yeah, what ever. I'll believe it if I see it. Coming?"

"No."

Jukiro shrugged, his fanged smile sadistic enough to make even the devil stay clear of him. He popped his clawed fingers happily, sliding around the group to go behind the Gai and Lee.

If Jikuro said they were the biggest threat, then it would be best to kill them first.

He was usually very good at analyzing situations.

x-X-x

Rock Lee paced in front of Gai unhappily, his mind going over what Tsunade had claimed.

There was no way that Naruto had tuned on them like that, just no way. Not after all the promises he had made, not after everything he had said.

Everything that he had done.

Lee continued to pace, his mind going back to the Chuunin exam prelims. That just seemed to validate to him that Naruto wouldn't have…

He stopped, thinking of what had been going on the last two or three months. Now that he thought about it more closely, he could see changes. Finite ones, yes, but changes none the less. The longer he pondered it, the more he saw, and the larger they got, until the events led up to his climax of leaving Konoha.

Naruto had been becoming more and more of a bibliophile. Constantly in the library, no matter the time of day. He had missed many things that at one point in time, he wouldn't have missed for the world.

He looked at Gai sensei, who was watching him. He was about to make a comment, when he saw the trees lightly move.

"Gai sensei!" He screamed, Gai only just avoiding the chained Kama as it cut through the wood easily.

The tree fell with a deafening crash to the side. "Oh, come now, don't be so difficult." A man stood behind where the tree had been. Lee stared at him.

"Na… Naruto?" He asked, horrified.

"Who, me? Hell no. Jukiro's the name, and death is my game." He snickered, throwing the kusarigama again, this time at Lee.

As the blade was hurtling down towards him, he heard Sakura's voice over the radio.

'_Gai sensei, we need help! Naruto is killing us here! Kakashi sensei is near dead, and we can't hold Naruto off much longer… Hello? Lee! Ino! Someone!_'' He dodged the blade, his eyes wide at the message as three kunai embedded themselves in his arm. Lee ripped them out, spying the kama on the ground. He lunged away from the group to catch it, but the man, Jukiro, had already pulled his blade back by the chain, before he could reach it.

"Don't make this a pain in the ass." He snarled, as Gai lunged forward, Ten Ten behind him using one of her 'weapon summon' scrolls.

Ino, Kiba and Akamaru had disappeared, thought Lee did not know where to. Most likely to help out The others, though what help they would be… Well, it didn't strike him as the kind of help that was needed.

"Lee! The Lotus!" Gai yelled, forced to dodge the kusarigama in the air, preventing his attack, but giving Ten Ten the perfect opening for her barrage of projectiles. Jukiro dodged them easily, bringing himself into Lee's range.

He ran forward following Gai's orders, sliding under Jukiro to strike him from below.

His kick met with the mans chin, which should have been enough to knock him senseless for at least a few moments. Lee was horrified when he found that it did not, rather, it just pissed him off.

Jukiro grabbed Lee's leg, using it as leverage to swing his body into a tree.

"Lee!" He heard Ten Ten's voice as he hit with unimaginable force, the tree splintering under his back. Blood sprayed from his mouth, as he fell to the ground, coughing up the blood for a few seconds. He was amazed to find nothing in his body was broken.

"Damnit girl, your getting on my nerves!"

Lee looked up, watching as Jukiro dodged Ten Ten's strongest weapon attack. He began to run towards her faster than Lee or Gai could react.

Time seemed to slow for Lee, as well as Gai. They were moving in slow motion, while Jukiro continued to gain speed it seemed.

"Ten Ten!" Lee screamed, as Jikuro sped past her, stopping in a crouched position, his outstretched arm wielding the kama end of the Kusarigama.

Crimson droplets fell from the length of it, the ground soaking each up greedily.

Ten Ten, on the other hand, had a look of confusion on her face, as she turned towards Lee and Gai.

"What-" She began to speak, but the crimson line appeared at her jaw line.

The top part of her head fell to the ground with a light thump, her body crumpling after it. Blood poured from the wound. The dry ground soaked all that up as well.

Lee felt as if the weight of the world had just crashed down on him. He felt dazed, and suddenly unsure of himself, of his abilities.

Jukiro would kill them. That's all there was to it.

They were going to die, just as Ten Ten did.

He didn't move as Jukiro approached him, swinging the blade by its chain. Lee closed his eyes, waiting to die. He heard the blade coming down on him again.

But the blow never came.

He opened his eyes, looking up.

Gai sensei had blocked the blow with his arm, the blood dripping on Lee's face.

"Lee! Get up! This isn't over yet!" Gai growled in that way only he could, then looking down at Lee and smiling. "We can beat him."

----------------------------------

A/N:

Sorry for taking so long this time I've just been busy.

Please review. Your opinion does matter. Unless of course it's a mean opinion, those are just ignored. I hate that I have to ask for people to review, but, it seems I have to to get any.

Why oh why did I name the twins Jikuro and Jukiro? I certainly made a pain in the ass for myself... And anyone who's reading it, I imagine. I could barely write the two twins names without getting them mixed up.

**NOTE:**

**Kusarigama**: It's a chained scyth, like what Kohaku uses on Inu Yasha, or like that weapon you seem Kakashi holding on the Naruto Clash of Ninja game cover.

A Kusarigama is comprised of a chain, and a 'Kama'.

**Kama**: A scyth.

**Shi ni tai desu:** It means 'I want to die', basically.

Oh, and... Kukukuku, cliff hanger.

A/N End


	7. Taking Action

Chapter Six: Taking Action

--------------------------------------------

_"Kyuubi sama…" Naruto moaned, moving his fingers weakly. His body was hanging on the cage that was only just holding the Nine-tailed fox captive, his arms pulled out to his sides by red chakra ropes. It was the only way to keep his severely burn and cut body from aching in pain. "Don't kill them. It is not their fault…" His voice was weak from fatigue, _

_"Quiet, Naruto. Rest. I will avoid killing them, if I can. You know this." The Kyuubi's voice was like venomous honey, warm and sweet, yet deadly at the same time. He stuck his nose through the ever widening bars, nuzzling Naruto's side tenderly. "I will protect you, as always. You may not be mine, but I have always considered you like a son. Where others have rejected and hated you, I have loved you. You trust me, yes?" The Kyuubi's lies were always the most wonderful to be heard. _

_"… But… They still have done nothing… to me… and why…. Why did you send the twins after them…?" Naruto craned his neck, skin crackling, to look over his shoulder at Kyuubi. He gritted his teeth in pain, grinding them. A few small tears of pain squeezed out of the corner of his eyes, running down his burnt skin, making it hurt all the more._

_"… I did what I thought was best for our cause. Your body may not hold us for very much longer. No, it _will _not. We cannot keep having these distractions, they waste what is left of our valuable time." The fox cooed gently, knowing it would not take much to get Naruto back to being quiet, and submissive again. "Besides, just think of what Konoha has done to you… Taken away your life, taken away your father… And then hated you for it. These 'Friends' of yours, are just like them, hating you for your sacrifices..."_

_"The same speech as always." The blond Shinobi turned his head forward again, slowly. "… But…"_

_"Shhh, quiet, Naruto… Rest, your body needs it." The Kyuubi pulled back into the cage. "You do trust me still?"_

_"Hai, I trust you..." Naruto let his chin drop to his chest. It hurt his burns to move his skin too much. He sighed looking at his shirtless chest. The sealing mark that kept the Kyuubi in his body was no longer black ink, but a fresh, infected brand, the skin around it turning black from decay. He looked at it, and smiled._

_The Kyuubi would make the appropriate decision for Naruto's well being. He always did._

x-X-x

Jikuro watched the three break off from the group, going towards the temple. Jukiro just ignored their leaving, probably assuming that he would get them.

He sighed, rubbing his brow as he did follow them. No other choice, that girl, Yamanaka Ino could actually prove to be trouble to Kyuubi sama's plans… With her mind possessing Jutsu… Well, if she found out what was really going on, then told the others…

Jikuro suddenly grinned. No, that would work in their advantage, If they played to that angle… If the group found out Naruto was still alive, then they would be apprehensive to kill him. It would also give them hope that they could perhaps bring him back… No matter what Kyuubi sama told them… Which would give them more time to find an answer.

He hated to admit it, but the Kyuubi, for all his intelligence, was slightly… Prideful, so he would blurt things that shouldn't be blurted, until after the fact… Jikuro laughed slightly, beginning to run after the three. All he had to do was keep the dog boy from interfering…

Hopefully Kyuubi sama wouldn't be angry at him for taking such an initiative.

x-X-x

Ino, Kiba, and Akamaru were running as quickly as they could to the temple. They were close enough that they could see it's rd tiled roof over the tree line, but far enough away that they could hear nothing of what was going on inside it.

They were over half way there, when Kiba let out a gasp of dismay. Ino turned to look back, watching him as three glints flew into his head… . She skidded to a stop, Akamaru beside her doing the same.

Kiba had fallen to his side, though she couldn't see what had hit him.

"Eh? Kiba?" She commented softly, falling to her knees to push him over so she could see what hit him.

Three senbon. One at his neck, one in his cheek, and the last in his temple. There was no need to check for a pulse, he was most definitely dead, from the blow to the temple… The wounds weren't bleeding, the senbon sealed them off too well.

Ino heard another thud behind her, which made her turn in shock. Akamaru had fallen as well, this time the senbon obvious. Two had gone through his eyes. She covered her mouth, jumping up, and stepping away from the two bodies, then running.

No time to worry about those she couldn't help.

Yes, that's right. No time to worry about them.

x-X-x

Naruto, or rather, The Kyuubi snapped out of his daze, cracking his neck towards the small group of Chuunin. Seemed Kakashi would have to wait; They were trying to get in the way. He would kill them give or take Naruto's consent. He wasn't long for this world either way, so it didn't matter all that much.

"I'm a little busy at the moment, can't you tell?" He snapped, jumping off the monk and into the blood. He concentrated the appropriate measure of chakra to keep him floating on it, rather than stepping in it. He only liked doing that when the blood was still warm, after that, it just lost it's pleasure for him.

"Naruto, what the hell is wrong with you?"

He rolled his eyes as he looked at Sakura. "I do wish you would stop calling me that. It does so get on my nerves."

"Stop calling you what, Naruto?"

Kyuubi didn't bother looking at Shikamaru. "I don't like smart asses, they tend to get on my nerves, Shika kun. Then again, perhaps I should make myself clear. It gets on my nerves when people do not call me by MY name."

"And what would that be?"

He could tell that Shikamaru was trying to feel out the situation, to see what exactly was going on, and what mental illness he thought 'Naruto' was suffering from.

"I am no schizo, if that is what you mean. I'm sure Sakura chan would understand if I said something about the 'Kyuubi', yes?"

As if on cue, Sakura gasped out Nani, mostly in horror, then a cry of, "What have you done to him?"

"Not what I have done to him, but what you, and Konoha, have… Or has he not told you yet? About the seal?"

"What… About the seal?" Sakura spoke again, as Kyuubi turned towards the other Ninja. Shikamaru and Chouji were the only ones here who looked confused towards this information. They also had a tiny look of intent of learning what was going on, with out asking openly.

"Why… His body… It has begun to reject it."

--------------------------------------------

A/N:

I have no excuse this time, though I don't think one is needed.

I know the writing is choppy, and terrible, but I really had no passion in this chapter. The only reason I put it down was because I felt obliged to. So if it dissapoints you, then well, sorry, it dissapoints me as well.

A/N End


	8. Price of Victory

Chapter Seven: Price of Victory

--------------------------------------------

"… What do you mean, rejecting him?! That's impossible, the seal was made to last-" Sakura began, stopping when Naruto, raised his hand for silence. No, wait. They shouldn't call him Naruto anymore… Just because that was his body, didn't mean it was him… It made more sense to call him Kyuubi, at least for the time being.

"The Yondaime's technique had never been tried before, obviously enough. The flaws in it, he had yet to see." Kyuubi responded simply, stretching his fingers as he began to reset the wires in his gloves. It was obvious he was angry at not getting to take his time in killing Kakashi, but... He acted as if there was no rush. Perhaps he assumed this would be quick…

He began to tsk softly, grinning largely.

"You know, I hate it for him… Not only did he sell his life away for it to work, but he sold his son's away as well…" He noted dully, walking towards Kakashi, kicking the man in the back, forcing him face first into the blood, then holding him in the blood. Bubbles began to come up, as the Jounin began to drown in blood. He hardly struggled against Kyuubi's foot.

"Sensei!" Sakura screeched, running towards him, pulling her fists back at the same time.

"Wait!" Shikamaru had reached out to grab her arm, only just missing it. He fell back, watching her take a mad swing at Kyuubi, then another, and another. The blond easily dodged her punches, never once removing his foot from Kakashi's back. After about the fifth punch, he grabbed her hand, using it's momentum to through her against the back wall. The temple's entire foundation shuttered when she hit, cracking of bones and rocks ringing through the air loudly.

Shikamaru gave Chouji and Neji a nod, before darting to the left, pulling out kunai and shuriken, four to a hand, running around the body parts that littered the way. He watched Neji run forward with his peripheral vision, chakra forming at his finger tips, intending on hitting Kyuubi head on, whiles Chouji mimicked Shikamaru to the right.

The Hyuuga managed to land a few chakra loaded pokes, before Kyuubi leaped back out of his reach, clinging to the wall. He hissed at them nastily, crawling along the wall to avoid the projectiles thrown at him from the Cho-Shika combo. With a twist of his body, he flipped off the wall, landing a heavy drop- spin kick on Neji. He doubled over in shock and pain, letting Kyuubi jump onto his back, then into the air. The boy landed on the wall, then crawled into the shadow's of the ceiling, hiding from them.

Shikamaru made a hand motion at Chouji, to tell him to go and check on Neji, Kakashi, and Sakura. The Naara looked up in the rafters, watching for any sign of Kyuubi. He couldn't help but wonder where Sai had gone, the little fuck had disappeared when Sakura attacked.

"Neji and Sakura are fine, and Kakashi's getting help." Shika vaguely heard Chouji call out to him. He could feel something land on his shoulder. Not paying much mind to it, he tried to brush away. When it didn't go, he broke his stare into the rafters to look at it.

The 'thing' was one of Sai's ink butterflies. It whispered Sai's plan to him (Which was undoubtedly, brilliant), before flying away to tell the others. It sounded like something he would come up with… Brilliant, with a low percentage of failure.

With a grin, Shikamaru prepared his Shadow possession…

x-X-x

Kyuubi was silent as he crawled along the rafters, making sure to keep in the shadows, watching the shinobi down below him. His chakra was fighting to break past the blockage the Hyuuga had caused, and was currently not having much luck. If he didn't get the flow going… His right arm would be completely useless.

Creak.

Stopping abruptly in his spider-like crawl, he looked up, snarling like a rabid, and in pain, fox.

Sai stood there, blank scroll and brush ready. He already had a few things painted onto it, ones he had yet to give life too.

"Kyuubi sama… I consider you a friend… Did you know, you were my first one?" He rolled the scroll out onto the rafter, beginning to paint rapidly on it. "I am vulnerable right now. Aren't you going to attack me?"

Kyuubi gave him a few voice snarls. "I'd like to see what you've got in store for me." Not a complete lie, but close to it.

"Meaning, you can't attack me. Neji san must have stopped your chakra flow better than I had first thought… Naruto's stunt in the Chuunin exams only worked because he hadn't tapped in on your chakra. Of course, your situation is different. You have used your own, and his is not enough to break the blockage, is it?" Sai's voice remained level, monotone, as he placed a hand in the circle he had just painted, then held up his other in the partial shape of o-hitsuji hand seal.

"You read situations just about as well as Shikamaru."

"I know I do." He concentrated a large amount of Chakra into the circle, releasing it all at once. Ink tendrils raised off the paper and grasped Kyuubi's body, holding him in place as the giant explosive tag Sai had created went off, catching them both in it's red blossom.

Fiery chunks of wood and ceiling fell into the blood, making it boil…

x-X-x

"You can beat me?" Jikuro jerked the kama down, cutting off the lower half of Gai's arm off, throwing his feet into the man's chest. He used that momentum to flip back into the shadow's, out of sight. Gai's screams of shock still rang through the air, as he fell back, tripping over Lee, and hitting the tree hard with his head, which cracked open on impact.

"Gai!" His body landed on Lee, limp. Hastily, Lee rolled his sensei's body off him. He frantically began to fumble at Gai's neck, looking for a pulse. There was one, though it looked like he was suffering a concussion, as his eyes were half open, and dazed.

"Can… win…" Was the soft whisper coming from his lips…

"BOO!" Lee looked up as Jikuro jumped down from the tree above him, stabbing his hand into Gai's chest, digging around a bit till he found whatever it was he was looking for. He looked into the blood crazed fox's face spitting in it, just before he threw a anger filled punch, not realizing this would be what killed his sensei. For as Jikuro flew back, he ripped out the vital organ his hand had grasped- Gai's heart.

Lee stared, not really sure want to make of the situation. All he could do was stare in disbelief, watching the fox laugh until he cried, holding the bleeding heart up from his fallen position like it was a trophy.

"You humans are hilarious! I mean, that look on your face! Technically, this means YOU killed him!"

Jikuro's laughter doubled when Lee looked down at his sensei, kissing his forehead, muttering broken up apologies, as he began to cry. The poor boy was certain now that every one was dead… Ino, Kiba, Akamaru, Neji, Shikamaru, Chouji… And Sakura chan… They were all dead… He was alone… He had nothing left…

"You… Bastard…" His voice was small, as he stood, letting Gai's body fall off his lap. After taking a long glance at Tenten's body, he spoke again. "Stop laughing. You have no idea what you've killed."

"Don't I though? Two puny humans, both of which were equally useless." Jikuro stood as well, dripping the heart. He froze, staring at Lee's skin as it began to turn a mud red. "What the hell are you doing?"

Rock didn't answer, instead, he closed his eyes. Gai, and Tenten would be avenged… And anyone else this bastard had killed. He would make absolutely sure of it.

"I said, what the hell are you doing?!" Jikuro made a run at him, throwing his kurasarigama at Lee.

"HACHI!" Lee's scream echoed through the woods, as large amounts of energy radiated off him, hitting the Kama, Jikuro and the trees at full force, disintegrating them on contact for a for two mile radius. The Kama's metal slowly melted away, until it was gone, layer, by layer.

Jikuro's inhuman screams of pain overpowered Lee's, as his body warped back into Fox form, slowly disappearing with the waves in layers, just like the kama.

First his rust red hair, then his skin… Then his muscles showed.

Lee grinned despite the pain he was feeling throughout his body, careful to control the power so that it hit neither Tenten, or Gai. This was his victory, his final victory. His glory. His victory. What he would be remembered for.

_"FATHER!" _The fox screamed his last, as the muscle finally ebbed away, leaving bones, then nothing.

Jikuro, the fox demon, son of the Kyuubi, was dead.

The waves or energy stopped then, Lee falling to his knees, into his own blood. His skin was ripped all along his arms and legs, where blood had been forced out with from the energy the forbidden eighth gate, shimon, had given him.  
"Victories price." He whispered to himself, looking towards the temple, watching the sun rise behind it as his body slowly began to fail from exhaustion. It was a beautiful sight, perfect for a last image.

Rock Lee fell back into the dust, his eyes still open, to forever watch his last sunrise.

--------------------------------------------

A/N:

No, it's not over...

A/N End


	9. Life Burns

**Chapter 8: Life Burns**

-----------------------------------------------

Sai leaped out of the way of his exploding tag's flames, falling to the ground as the Kyuubi burned. He gasped lightly as large bits of burning debris hit him in the lower back, making him spin slightly in the air. He hit the ground hard, hot blood splashing up around him, covering him in it, burning him… Drowning him.  
Dazed he sat up in slow motion, noises dissipating around him. He gasped, spitting the disgusting red liquid out of his mouth, looking every which way. The world spun for what seemed liked hours, his head throbbing in pain. He fell back onto his side, barely holding himself up as the feeling went away.  
He took in the situation as his vision cleared. He was separated from his team by the large ball of fire that pulsed larger with each scream from the roasting Kyuubi. So far, so good. The plan was working.

Face blank as ever, he pulled himself up to his knees, reaching into his back pouch for the sealing scroll he had made so long ago… Sai felt regret that his precautionary plan had to be used on Naruto, he had wished so hard for it to not be necessary-  
For the first time in years, Sai's eyes widened in horrified shock, in horrified realization. With spidery like fingers, he removed the pouch from its attachment to his belt with shaky hands, pulling it open to where he could see in it. The sealing scroll was gone, along with his ink brush. All that was inside was a few smoke bombs, a normal exploding tag, and a blank scroll. Where had the scroll gone? It alone could carry out this plan, without it, they were doomed to fail.  
He didn't want to die here.

The flame pulses stopped, welling up into a huge ball. When it reached the point Sai could see the flames around him, feel and smell his skin burning, it collapsed into itself as if being sucked up. A shockwave of chakra energy flowed out, a wall of blood and body parts spiraling out from the epicenter; hitting, throwing, and holding each Shinobi respectively against the distant walls. The red liquid hit the rafters before falling back to the ground, sloshing loudly with its landing.  
Sai slid down the wall, rivers of red running down his pale limp limbs. He began to cough, this time having swallowed some. Words could not described the appalling flavor of the boiling blood.

"SAI!" He looked up at Shikamaru's gagged call, ignoring the aches throughout his body. Where the ball of fire had been was Kyuubi, hunched over and charred beyond legibility. A ripple sensation began under his skin, like it was alive. Slowly, the blackened flesh began to fall away, fresh, tan skin underneath. Even the blond hair of Kyuubi's host began to come back exactly like before. Only his right arm did not heal. The arm hung limp, black as ever, at his side. He had a subdued look, like someone who had just taken a large does of opium. Kyuubi stood there, his body in all its glory. The seal could not be seen from the behind position Sai was in, but he guessed the healing had not worked there.  
Gracefully, not bothering to look over his shoulder at Sai, Kyuubi raised his left hand. He held the scroll between his thumb and index finger, and the ink brush between his ring and pinkie finger. Oddly enough his hand was shaking lightly, as if it hurt him to move it. Maybe the fire had done more damage than he could heal with just Chakra.

"…" Sai though back a few events to put what pieces he did have together. How in the hell had Kyuubi gotten his art medium from him? They had been secured in his pouch the entire time, and Kyuubi had never gotten close enough to snag them. Unless… Sai snarled in realization. He had never been hit by a pieces of debris. It must have been Kyuubi. Damn, he thought he had been trained better than this. To have something so vital stolen from him in the most common way of thieving… It was demeaning.  
Pride aside, it left him with a problem: Without that scroll, the plan the had couldn't work. He couldn't seal the Kyuubi away into his 1master's realm. So their best option now… Was to retreat.

He irritably flicked his hand up to the radio piece, pressing it in. "That's the scroll. I can't do anything without it. We need to leave-" He stopped as Kyuubi screamed again, suddenly convulsing. Blood began to pour from his mouth. The fox dropped the scroll and brush, his good arm falling limp. The tools sunk to the floor of blood, ruined.  
Alarmed, Sai stood, ignoring the pains shooting through his spine and head. That could not be good. The scream had sounded like the word Jukiro, though it was hard to tell for certain.

"Eeeh…" Kyuubi suddenly stiffened, his convulsing moment gone. His voice was a low growl; his canine's began to recede back into normal humanely shape. His eyes, turning from red, to purple, to blue. Naruto seemed to be making an attempt to regain control of his body. "That little bitch…" Kyuubi grabbed his face with his left hand, squirming and shaking as if he were fighting off something.

"Ino!"

Sai didn't even bother to acknowledge Shikamaru as his horrified scream rose. That explained the reverting. But now if he attacked the remaining group, they couldn't defend themselves for fear of hurting her. Oh how Sai hated these type situations. Dumb people always acting before they thought about it.

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A/N: Hallo, no, I have not died! Sorry about this being the first chapter in like, what, a YEAR? Holy $hit... Well, I intend on posting more often now, hope you people haven't forgotten about me!

I went through a really long authors block, and I think this might be the end of it, FINALLY! Kudos for me! Pie, we all need PIE NOW! Better yet, RAMEN!

Okay, yeah I'll post a long chapter soon people, promise.

Pi So.


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